


The Fire That Won't Burn Out

by LuckyLucy92



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:34:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24622501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuckyLucy92/pseuds/LuckyLucy92
Summary: Lola Pearce forces Ben Mitchell to watch their daughter, Lexi, for the night, 'cause she already did her share of the deal, so he must cancel his date night with Callum Highway, which gives him the idea to invite both him and his daughter to his flat for the night, but that'll soon be the biggest mistake of his life.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell, Jay Brown/Lola Pearce
Comments: 12
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments, pretty please?! 😂 Hope you all enjoyed my story of Ballum. 🙏

Callum Highway was about to make the toughest decision of his entire life, between two of his favorite people in the whole world, which he never would've thought such a beautiful day like today would've turned into what it had become, but it did, it was surely gonna haunt him for the rest of his life and he's only 29 years old.

"Ben, do you wanna go on a date with me tonight?" Callum said, when was sitting at a table in The Vic with Ben for a few drinks.

"No, I mean, I would love to, clearly, but I have to watch Lexi tonight, Lola did the other night for me, for us."

"Yeah... wait! Can't we just have a little dinner date inside? She loves my flat and we'd still get to have our special time alone for a bit."

"Hmmm, I don't know, I mean, do you really want to? 'Cause you'd have to do all the cooking... I don't cook, ever."

"Of course I still want to! And besides, we could always just order Chinese, your favorite."

"Okay, I'm in!" Ben said excitingly, before leaning in to give Callum a quick kiss.

...

"Alrighty, here's her favorite bedtime story and don't forget to change the voices with each character as you go along." Lola said, as she passed him the book.

"Oh, don't you worry, it's on the top of my to-do list." Ben said, mocking the sound of her voice.

Lola then playfully rolled her eyes, before hitting his shoulder, "Anyway... call me if you need anything, I'll just be working a late shift at the hairdresser."

"Will do." Ben said seriously this time, before giving her a hug.

Lola then picked up her purse and waved goodbye to Lexi, "Talk to you later, sweetie." Lola said, 'causing the little girl to smile happily back at her.

"Um, I guess I should prepare dinner, huh?" - Callum.

"I thought you promised me Chinese earlier today?" - Ben.

"Yeah, but unfortunately they're closed now... sorry." - Callum.

"Can we make a pizza, daddy?" - Lexi.

"No, I don't think Cal is up for that type of labor tonight..."

"Shhh, Ben, of course I am! Anything to put a smile on this cutie right here."

This approval got Lexi to jump up and down with excitement, before running straight into the kitchen to help out, "So much for our romantic night in..." - Ben.

Callum then walked over to Ben, saying, "I'm so sorry, but the night's still young," He then took his hands, adding, "Just be patient, for me?"

And with a deep breath, Ben let out the words, "Yeah, sure, you know I'll always wait for ya."

...

The dinner was a success from start to finish, Lexi even helped Callum clean up the place while Ben fell asleep on the couch with a beer bottle in his hand, "Thanks for being such a big girl tonight!" - Callum.

"You're welcome!" Lexi said, before giving him the biggest bear hug that she possibly could, which obviously wasn't very big.

Callum then walked Lexi into the living room only to find Ben passed out on the sofa, "oh, come on Ben! Let's go to sleep up stairs."

Ben just rolled over from his voice and went back to sleep, which usually would've been fine, 'cause Callum would've just carried him upstairs, but since his daughter was also here he didn't exactly feel comfortable doing that, so instead he just decided that they should all just sleep right here in the living room, "Hope you don't mind sleeping bags for the night?" - Callum.

But when he turned around the girl was already sound asleep next to her dad, which he couldn't help but laugh a little bit, "Too cute." He thought to himself.

...

In the middle of the night, Callum was awoken from a burning sensation on his body, "Ben?" He called out, still half asleep.

When he finally realized what had happened, a fire from the kitchen, he couldn't really see much due to all the heavy smoke, but remembered that both Ben and Lexi were on the couch sleeping together, so he crawled over to them...

...

Callum was sobbing in the hospital waiting room with Lola who was rubbing his back for comfort, 'cause he just couldn't believe that such a peaceful night in could turn into such a dangerous one and all he wanted right now was for this to just be a nightmare, but the burns on his skin made him know that this was definitely real life.

After a few more minutes of waiting, a nurse came in to tell them that they could go visit now, so they both slowly got up and went into the room, trying to hold back tears, "Where's Lexi?!" Was the first thing that came out of Ben's mouth.

"She... she didn't make it out! And I'm so, so sorry, Ben. But I had to choose just one."

"Wait... you chose me over my own daughter? My 7-year-old daughter?"

"Ben, I didn't really have much time to thin-"

"But you had enough!"

"Please Ben, calm down, you need to stay still."

"Calm down! You know what? You and I are over! Now how's that for staying calm?!"

Callum couldn't hold back the tears any longer, so he let them slide this time in front of Ben who would usually rush over and hug and kiss all his problems away for him like there was no tomorrow, but this time he was looking at him like he wanted to see him drown in his own tears and Callum just couldn't take in that sight for one more second, so he ran straight out the door and went to go purchase a gun, 'cause he thought, why not? He basically lost a stepdaughter, he just lost his boyfriend and he lost his flat... there's really nothing else left to live for he felt, so he took out the gun and prepared to kill himself with it.


	2. Chapter 2

Callum was just about to pull the trigger on himself when he heard a voice yell, "Stop!" It was Ben's best friend, Jay Brown.

"Don't even try and stop me Jay!"

"Callum you're making a big mistake... Ben wouldn't want you to do this."

"But I can't live with myself like this... a 7-year-old girl is dead because of me."

"They both could've been dead if it wasn't for you! Stop blaming yourself, shit happens."

"I just wish that it could've been me instead, why did she have to go? Why is Ben in the hospital?" Callum said, as he started violently trembling.

"J-just put the gun down, Callum... let's go inside and talk this situation through."

"No! There's nothing to talk about, there's nothing to make things any better."

Callum then held the gun to his head and pulled the trigger... but it was empty. "Shhh, come here." Jay said, walking over to him after almost having a heart attack from what he just witnessed him try and do in front of his own eyes.

...

The next morning, Callum was startled when he woke up in a room he'd never been in before, "Help!" He started screaming, which a nurse came rushing through the door.

"What's wrong?" Whitney said, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Where am I?!" He shouted, before he started hyperventilating.

"Shhh, calm down, you're in a mental hospital, a couple by the names of Jay and Lola sent you here."

"Weird... I can't recall anything that happened."

"And that's okay! That's actually really normal around here, so don't you worry."

...

After spending a week in the hospital, Ben was finally released from it, "Are you sure you're feeling good enough to go?" Phil said, as he opened the car door for Ben.

"Yeah, yeah, the doc gave me the okay..."

"Alrighty then... so do you wanna talk about what happened to Lexi yet?"

The car got insanely quiet, until Ben finally said, "Just drive... please."

Phil just took a deep breath before starting the car, he knew that Ben wasn't good with showing his feelings, but losing someone isn't the type of thing that you wanna hide, and he thought it was selfish of him to do that, 'cause Lexi was his family too, his granddaughter.

"Maybe you should try and think about others for a change, Lexi was a Mitchell you know."

"If you're really comparing my pain of losing a daughter to your pain of losing a granddaughter then you're completely full of it and can just drop me off wherever we are right now dad, I mean, Phil."

Phil just shook his head in disbelief as he watched his son get out of the car in the middle of nowhere, clearly still in a lot of pain, but he was just too upset to sit back and argue with him on the car ride home, so he just let him have his way and took off without looking back.

Ben was seriously pissed off that his dad actually left him like that without even trying to stop him, but at this point in time nothing should really surprise him with Phil. And so, Ben kept walking and walking, waiting for a car to pass by, so that he would at least try to hitchhike a ride back home.

He saw nothing for awhile and was starting to get kinda worried until he finally saw one car drive by, "Over here!" Ben screamed, as he stuck out his thumb.

The driver then opened his door and Ben hopped right in, "Thank you! You're a lifesaver."

"No, I'm anything, but that..." It was Callum, Ben just got in way too fast to see.

"Callum..." Ben said, he could clearly see the hurt that was still lingering in his eyes.

"You should really find another ride, I might accidentally kill you, too."

"Callum you didn't kill anyone, okay?! You actually saved someone... me."

"Then why did you treat me like a murder Ben? Why did you drive me to the point of a suicide attempt?"

"Wait, what?! I had no idea that you wher-"

"You had no idea what had become of me! And you surely didn't care!"

Ben could now not only see the hurt in his eyes, but the pain in his voice, too. He broke the one thing in his life that was keeping him together, "Callum..."

"Just get out of the car Ben!"

Ben was just about to reach for the door handle when he decided to kiss Callum, thinking maybe this would show him just how sorry he really was and how much he needs him more than ever before now that Lexi is gone, "Ben... just let me drive this thing off a cliff."

"Stop it! I need you, I want you... please just drive us both back home, safely."

Callum was becoming far too weak to fight any more, so he decided to finally listen to Ben and drive home, but the car ride was silent.

...

They arrived back at Callum's flat an hour later, Ben went straight for the fridge and got himself and Callum two beer bottles, "I'm sorry for not thanking you before for... saving my life."

"And I'm sorry for not saving your daughter's life."

It the room became silent after that, just sounds of them sipping on their beverages until Ben said, "She's probably looking down from heaven at us agreeing over her... laughing."

"Yeah, she always found out arguments to be silly... just told us to shut up and kiss."

This was the first moment since the fire that they both smiled at each other, "Callum... I don't want her death to be in vain... maybe we were both moving too slowly? Will you marry me?"

Callum was shocked this, he always dreamed of Ben popping the question to him... just not like this, "I don't know..."

"Oh, come on Cal, please? You're all I got left and I can't lose you, too."

Callum took a deep breath before saying, "Okay, I'll marry you."

Ben then sat on the couch to give Callum a gentle kiss, before laying his head down on his lap. Callum then played with Ben's hair which brought a smile onto his face while they watched the Disney Channel, 'cause it was Lexi's favorite thing to watch


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks later, it was now time for the funeral of Lexi Pearce, "Are you sure you wanna attend? I mean, I'm sure that your father would understan-" Callum said, being getting cut off by Ben.

"Yes! Just give me one last day with my only child, will ya?" He said, before brushing pass him.

As he was walking out Phil walked in, saying to him, "Did you get my message?"

"I... we don't have each other's numbers, remember?"

Phil then dramatically rolled his eyes and took an overexaggerated breath, "I meant did my son Ben pass you along the message?"

"No... Ben actually hasn't spoken of you all day." Callum said, before regretting how Phil would most likely take that the wrong way.

"What's that supposed to mean, Callum?" Phil said, before putting his hands on his hips.

"N-nothing! I just mean that I definitely didn't get your message, Phil."

Phil then looked down at the wooden floor in the living room of Callum's flat before looking back up at him to say, "You're not invited to the funeral. This is for family only."

Callum was expecting to not be very fond of what Phil was dying to tell him, but was certainly not expecting this though, "What do you mean?"

Phil just shook his head before walking pass him, leaving Callum wondering why he wouldn't be invited when he was so close to Lexi like a second father? And why Ben wouldn't tell him about this important information?

...

Back at Phil's place, Callum finds Ben laying on the sofa, "So, when where you planning on telling me exactly?"

This startled Ben a little bit, "I..." He said, searching for words, "Look, I just thought that you could just show up there."

"Ben! I'm not even a party crasher, so what gave you the impression that I'd be up for doing that at a little girl's funeral?"

"A little girl? My little girl!" Ben said, before sitting up and staring Callum down.

"Oh, come on Ben, you know what I meant..." Callum said, before going over to sit beside him.

"Yeah, sorry... I guess the weight of today is finally crashing down on my shoulders."

"I know, but just remember that you're not alone, we've all got your back."

Ben then gave a half smile before saying, "Thanks." Leaning his head on Callum's shoulder.

...

Ben wanted to be seated right next to Callum, but since he wasn't invited to Lexi's funeral he was now forced to be beside Phil, "Stop texting Callum on your phone..."

"Dad, I'm just trying to update him on what's going on."

"Yeah? Well, I might as well invite him in here if you're gonna be doing all that..."

"Really?"

"No."

Ben then rolled his eyes at him, before putting away his phone and focusing on the people who were now talking on stage, Lola and Jay, "I honestly couldn't have asked for a better daughter," Lola said, before breaking down in tears, "But we all know that she's in a much better place now." Jay added, helping her finish the speech.

...

Callum was outside sitting on a bench in the park just waiting for Ben to send him another update when he spotted his brother, Stuart, kneeling down while talking to someone, "Stuart?!" Callum yelled out, before making his way over to him.

"Callum!" Stuart shouted back as he quickly turned around and stood up straight.

"Hi, Callum!" It was a little high pitched voice coming from behind Stuart, it was Lexi.

"Lexi?! You're alive?!" Callum screamed before the little girl ran right into his arms.

"Sorry, bruv... I saw that your flat was on fire and ran straight in to try and rescue ya, but noticed no one except for Lexi, so of course I saved her."

"Thank you! But why'd you keep her, though?"

"Well, you know how I feel about that criminal Ben... I thought she'd be in better hands with me."

"Stuart! You just practically kidnapped his child."

"Now that's debatable... I did, however, save his daughter's life."

Callum just put his face in his hands as the situation became too overwhelming to process all at once before taking a deep breath, saying to him, "You know she's gonna have to go home, don't you?"

Stuart made a sad face at his words, but was expecting for this moment to come eventually, "Yeah, I know... but you're not gonna tell Ben about me, are you?"

Callum always wanted to be honest with Ben about everything, but he didn't wanna make all the problems between his brother and his boyfriend any worse than they already were. And besides, his brother was a hero for saving her life, which overshadows the kidnapping part in his eyes.

"Fine, I don't wanna see you get attacked by Ben."

"Attacked? Ben could never achieve such a thing."

Callum then playfully rolled his eyes, before taking the hand of the little girl and walking her all the way back to his flat.

...

Lexi was sound asleep on the sofa in Callum's flat when Ben came back in late from the funeral, "Callum?!"

"Ben! You're never gonna guess what happened earlier."

"You finally got yourself a new sofa." Ben sarcastically said.

Callum just shook his head before saying, "No, look who's on top of the sofa."

Ben then went over and saw Lexi sleeping peacefully on it, "Wait, what?!"

"Yeah, I know, you have a lot of questions, but unfortunately I can't give you the answers... at least just not right now."

Ben then squinted his eyes, wanting to fight all night to get the truth outta him, but more than anything he just wanted to fall asleep with his daughter in arms again, "Alright, I'll let you off the hook... I'm just so glad that she's alive, that's all that really matters anyway."

"Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction, too." Callum said, before giving him a delicate kiss on the lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you people for taking the time out of your day to read my Ballum story! 🙌 It really does mean so much to me. 😭


End file.
